Cigar packing machine



Aug. 19, 1941.

F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINE 3nvento1: I FRANK R.SCHMITT B W S. m

(lttorneg l3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2

Original Filed Aug. 28, 1933 Aug. 19, 1941. F, R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKINGMACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheei 2 Original Filed Aug. 28, 1953 Aug. 19, 1941. F.R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 28, i953 l3Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 19, 1941. F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINEOriginal Filed Aug. 28, 1933 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 FRANK R.SCHM|TT Aug. 19,1941. F. R. SCHMITT- CIGAR PACKING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 5 OriginalFiled Aug. 28, 1933 FRANK R.SCHMITT 1941' F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKINGMACHINE l5 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Aug. 28, 1933 3nventor FRANK R.SCHMITT IIIIIJII1ITII Aug. 19, 1941. F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINEOriginal Filed Aug. 28, I935 Imnentor FRANK R.SCHMITT 13 Sheets-Sheet 7Aug. 19, 1941. F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINE Original Filed Aug.28, 1933 13 Sheets -Sheet 8 Snnentor FRANK R. SCHMITT (Ittorneg Aug; 19,1941. R. SCHMITT' CIGAR PACKING MACHINE 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original FiledAug. 28, 1933 F ICE-.33

3nnento r FRANK R.SCHMITT 1941. F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINEOriginal Filed Aug. 28, 1933 15 Sheets-Sheet l0 Jnnentor FRANK R.SCHMITT attorney Allg- F. R. SCHMITT' CIGAR PACKING MACHINE OriginalFiled Aug. 28, 1953 15. Sheets-Sheet 11 2 Km is I Snnentor FRANKR.SCHM|TT attorney Aug. 19, 1941. F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINEOriginal Filed Aug. 28, 1935 13 Sheets-Sheet l2 ZSnventor FRANK R,SCHMITT attorney Aug. 19, 1941. F. R. SCHMITT CIGAR PACKING MACHINEOriginal Filed Aug. 28, 1935 13 Sheets-Sheet 15 i ffifii Ihweutor FRANKR.SCHMITT Patented Aug. 19, 1941 CIGAR PACKING MACHINE.

Frank R. Schinitt, Queens Village, N. Y., assignor to InternationalCigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Originalapplication August 28, 1933, Serial No. 687,179. Divided and thisapplication August 26, 1937, Serial No. 160,961

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for rapidly and economically packinggroups of cigars, by successively enclosing the cigars in individualwrappers, grouping the wrapped cigars in predetermined numbers,supplying and opening collapsed cartons, inserting the groups of cigarsin the opened cartons, and closing the filled cartons.

Another object is to provide means for so synchronizing the variousmechanisms of the machine that failure of the cigars to be supplied fromthe wrapping means to the cartoning means will automatically stop thecartoning means and thus avoid packaging groups of less than the desirednumber of cigars.

An object of notable importance is to provide improved means fordetecting the presence or absence of a cigar in or from itsintendedposition, and also means for detecting such qualitative disconforrnitiesfrom an established standard as the presence of a cigar th'at is not ofthe proper length, and of the proper density; together with means forregistering such a dis'conformity in a useful fashion, as for example,by stopping the machine, to afford an opportunity for rectifying thedisconformity.

Another object of the invention is topr'ovide novel and eificient meansfor closing and sealing the package and for inserting the tongue flapafter filling the package shell.

Other objects are toprovide improved carton feeding and opening meansand improved devices for inserting groups of cigars in opened cartons.Thus it is an object of the invention to provide an organized machinewhich will feedcollapsed cartons from a stack and will automatically andwithout manual handling, open said cartons and insert individuallywrapped cigars in said cartons, and close the cartons ready formarketing.

This application has been divided from application .Ser. No. 687,179,filedAugust 28, 1933 now issued as Letters Patent No. 2,095,938, datedOctober 12, 1937.

Still another object is to provide forpreventing turning of the cigars,to keep the banded or printed side of the wrapped cigar up and invisible position in the carton of a window type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cigar packageof a type which is as satisfactcry as expensive packages and which atthe ame time is moreinexpensive and easier to remove cigars from. Withthese and other objects not specifically mentioned in View, theinvention consists in certain constructions and combinations which willbe hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in theclaims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings in which like characters of referenceindicate the same or like parts Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improvedcigar packing machine illustrating particularly the arrangement of thecarton opening and feeding parts;

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation nism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation illustrating theconnection between the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 and a cigarbanding'and wrapping machine;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cigar grouping device;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the device show'ninFigA;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view in end elevation on the line 66 ofFig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a detail end elevation partially in section on the line 1'lof Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional end elevation in section on the line 88 ofFig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a View in end elevation showing the carton feed;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view in side elevation showing a detail of thecarton feed, this section being taken on the line H1l l! of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail View in sectional side elevation showing a part ofthe mechanism shown'in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail view in sectional end elevation on the line l2! 2 ofFig. l0;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the carton opening mechanism;

Fig. 14 is an end elevation partly in section of the carton openingmechanism shown inFig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail side elevation partly broken away of the mechanismshown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of a detail. of the mechanism shown in Fig.13;

Fig. 1'? is a detail view taken on the line l1 ll of Fig. 18, showing asection through the carton opening blade;

Fig. 18 is a detail sectional view of a part of the mechanism of Fig.13;

Fig. 19 is an end elevation of the inserting mechanism;

Fig. 20 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. l9;

Fig. 21 is a detail view in side elevation of the ci arinsertingmechanism of Fig. 19;

Fig. 22 is a detail of the mechanism shown in of the mechascparating andV the stamping mechanism for applying stamps to the closed carton andalso means for making the final closure of the carton;

Fig. 33 is a plan view of the preceding Fig. 34 is a detail sideelevation of the carton closing mechanism shown in Fig. 32;

Fig. 35 is a side elevation illustrating the carton delivery mechanism;

Fig. 36 is a. plan view of the preceding;

Fig. 37 is a sectional end elevation of the preceding;

Fig. 38 is a side elevation showing a detail of the machine forpreventing operation of the stampingdevice when nocarton is fed;

Fig. 39 isa plan view of the preceding;

Fig. 40 is an end elevation of the'same;

Fig. 41 is a sectional detail view on the line ll-4| of Fig. 39; a

Fig. 42 is a view in end elevation of a detail shown in Fig. 39; V

Fig,- 43 is a sectional view on the line 'l343 of Fig-41 showing adetail of thestamper clutch mechanism; p Fig.44 is a detail sideelevationshowing a safety device starting the cigar cartoning mechanismwhen a predetermined number 'of cigars are in position to be cartonedbut not before; Fig. 45 is a planview of the preceding; a

Fig. 46 is a detecting device for preventing operation of the cartoningmechanism when defective or short count groups of cigars are supplied;Fig. 47 is a view in side elevation showing the electrical timing meansfor co-action with the safety and detecting mechanisms of Figs. 44 andFig. 48 is a view on the line 48-48 of Fig. 47; Fig.4!) is adiagrammatic view showing the electrical connections involved in theInechanisms of Figs, 44, 46 and 47;

.Fig. 50 is a detail plan view showing the operating stations A, B, Cand D of the mechanism for feeding and opening the cartons;

Fig. 51 is a view also in plan elevation illus- .trating thecontinuation of Fig. 50 showing stations E, F, G and H of the cartoningmechanism; 7 Figs. 52-53 are side elevations respectively of the detailshown in Figs. 50 and 51; a

.Figs."54-55.are detail sectional views taken on the lines-54'-54 and55-55 respectively of Fig. 51,. j I J 'In" the particular embodimentherein illustrated, there is provided in combination withinstrumentalities for successively wrapping cigars in individualwrappers and for forwarding the same together with means for receivingthe individually wrapped cigars andgrouping the same in cartonscontaining a predetermined number of cigars, mechanism for supplyingopened cartons and devices for successively inserting the groups ofcigars in said cartons. Preferably there is provided mechanism forengaging the wrapped cigars prior to insertion thereof in the cartonoperating to stopthe operation of said devices if a group is incomplete.In the best constructions contemplated, said means, devices andmechanisms include instrumentalities operating to maintain the same sideof the cigar up, throughout their operation, and said means includegrippers arranged to engage a predetermined number of cigars while thecigars are in contacting row relationship. The various means referred tomay be varied Widely in construction within the scope of the claims, forthe particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one ofmany possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention thereforeis not to be restricted to the precise details shown and described norto the particular embodiments chosen as illustrative of the invention.

- Referring now to the drawings, a supply of collapsed cartons C isstacked in a carton magazine .l. The cartons in this stack rest on areciprocating table 2 (see Figs. 10 and 12) provided to the rear of thestack with feeding ledges 3 which serve to catch the edge of thelowermost carton and feed the same out of the stack. After this cartonis fedfrom the stack it is caught against backward movement with thereturn of the table by means of a pair of latchor hook members 4 (Fig.11) which rest by gravity on the lowermost carton being ejected. Theforward end of the hooks nearest the stack is beveled to permit the edgeof the ejected carton to slip under the same. The table 2 on returningremoves its supporting effect from under the ejected carton which thendrops into the pocket of the carton conveyor presently tobe described(Fig. 9).

The rear edge of the carton drops first due to an abutment 6 in the pathof the forward edge which temporarily supports said edge when the cartonis in an inclined position as shown in Fig. 110, in dotted lines, butalmost immediately permits the'carton edge to slip off to the positionshown in full lines.

The carton feeding table 2 is reciprocated in a slideway 1 (Fig. 9)being supported therein by slide strips 8 (Fig. 12) secured to the table2, which slide strips are connected by links 9 to a pair of 'levers l0pivoted at H (Fig. and linked through shaft l2, crank 13 and rod M to acam lever I5 engaging the cam on the shaft I6. The hook 4 is pivotallysupported at IT to rest by gravity on the carton C (Fig. 11).

The cartons in the pockets 5 supported on the conveyor chain [8 areindexed forwardly to the carton opening station where a knife I9 ispushed along the lower flap of the carton and into the same whereuponthe knife is given a twist from the position shown at the top of Fig, tothe position shown in Figs. 16 and 1'7 to thereby open thecarton byreason of the opposing push of the knife and of the forward side 5a ofthe pocket. The blade is then withdrawn to. permit the conveyor pocketto be indexed to the next cigar inserting station D (Fig. 50)

The carton conveyor chain It! is indexed intermittently from station tostation by at Geneva wheel secured to the shaft 2| on which is mountedthe sprocket 22 (Fig. 50) carrying the chain I8, the other end of whichchain is carried by the idler sprocket 23 (Fig, 3). The Geneva wheel isdriven by the co-acting crank and pin 29 running over sprocket on amaindrive shaft 3|. Gears 26 and 21 are suitably jour naledon shafts 32 and33. Theshaft 33 also carries the sprocket 28.

The knife [9 (Figs. 14-18) is given its reciprocating movement on aslide 34 mounted on rails 35. and connected by a. pin 36 with a fork 31in a lever .38 pivoted on a shaft 39 connected by a lever 4|], linkAland a bell crank lever 42 to the cam 43 on the cam shaft. 44. The timingof this cam is such that the knife is inserted while the conveyor is atrest with a carton at station B (Fig. 50).

The knife 19 is twisted in the carton by means of a shaft 45 (Fig. 13)secured to one end of the knife and carrying a lever 46 (Fig. 16) havingat its outer end a roller 4'! engaging in a fork 48 which fork ispivoted on a shaft 49. This fork lever is oscillated through a lever 50connected by suitable linkage 5! to a bell crank lever 52 actuated inturn through link 53 by lever 54 engaging cam 55. The cam 55 is so timedthat the knife I9 is given its twisting movement at the end of the knifeinserting movement of the slide 34 (Figs. 13-14).

At station Dva predetermined number of cigars which in the particularembodiment illustrated have been banded and individually wrapped, are

supplied in position for insertion in the carton (Figs. 44, 45, 46, 50)

The present cartoning mechanism is designed for co-action with mechanismfor individually wrapping and in some instances, banding cigars so as tooperate in synchronized relation therewith and so as to prevent loss ofposition of the cigars which may have bands or printed material whichmust be the same side: up in the carton to produce a marketable package.The relation ship of the cartoning mechanism to said banding andwrapping mechanism will now be described.

In the particular embodiment illustrated, the wrapped, and if sodesired, banded cigars are supplied by wrap-ping and banding machinessuch as that disclosed in the application of Joseph A. Neumair, SerialNumber 629,595, filed August 22, 1932, issued on April 20, 1937, asPatent Number 2,077,431. In this type of machine as illustrated in Fig.3, the cigars T are carried in grippers 6!! on a conveyor chain 6| fromwhich each of the cigars is pushed into a wrapper 62 which is folda edabout three sides of the cigar by the plunger 63 pushing the wrapperintogrippers 64 as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 3. these grippers64 the depending edges of the wrapper are lapped by the lock seamfolders 65 and 155. At another station of the conveyor 61 jecting endportion of the wrapper is tucked at While. held by opposite sides toplicate the wrapper ends, this i being accomplished by two oppositelymovable tuckers 68 and E9. The plicated end portions of the wrapperprojecting beyond the cigar ends are next folded by being compressedbetween suitably formed folder blocks 79 andll which crease and fold thewrapper ends. The folded ends are next crimped to secure them in foldedand closed position by corrugated crimper blocks '!2 and E3 which aremoved from opposite directions on the wrapper end portions; The severalwrapping, tucking, folding and crimping operations referred to are fullydescribed in detail in the patent of Neumair above referred to. Thecigar T is then ejected by an ejector M which may have means forretaining the cigar against falling as shown in the application abovereferred to, which carries the cigar into the grippers 15 on a conveyorchain 76. The conveyor chain 16 as well as the chain 6| are both indexedin proper timed relation to the wrapping and banding parts through aGeneva wheel Tl mounted on a shaft78 which shaft carries a gear 1'9engaging with gears 82 and BI carrying suitable sprockets and the chainsGI and 16; This Geneva wheel 11 is driven by a crank pin 92 mounted on ashaft 93 driven through gears94, 95, 96,. 91 and 98 from the main driveshaft 3!. The cigars T in the grippers 15 may be banded as they traveltowards the cartoning mechanism by a suitable banding mechanism L. Thisbanding mechanism includes a suction turret 84 whichlreceives bands froma band magazine, not shown, and carries a moistened band into a positionoverlying the cigar T under the same. -A pair of folders 85 and 88serves to fold the bands along the vertical sides of the cigars and holdthe band in U formation about the cigar while the folders 87 and 38 actsuccessively, 81 operating first, to overlap the depending end portionsof the band, all as set forth in detail in the above mentioned patenttoNeumair. The cigars are then indexed forward on the chains 75 to aposition overlying an ejector 89 which ejects the cigars intosubstantial alignment with the cigar runway 90 ontowhich the cigars areswept from the ejector by the lever 91, the cigars accumulating on thisguide plate or feed table in face to face contacting row formation inthe embodiment illustrated as shown in Fig. 3. It is from the forwardend of this row of cigars that the group for insertion in the carton istaken.

Between station C and station D suitable means are provided forseparating a group containing a predetermined number of cigars. Thismeans includes a pair of grippers It'll and HM consisting of a pair ofbands which may be of rubber stretched over pairs of pins IE2 and H33;Each of these pairs of pins is supported on arms I04 and Hi5respectively, carried by rods H16 and IE3! respectively which rods arecarried by upper and lower levers Hi8 and Hit (Figs. 6 and 7). Theselevers are interconnected for opposite and.

, equal movement by projecting lug portions having a notch in oneengaging a shoulder of the other, the upper lever being held inoperating contact with the lower lever by means of a spring Iii] so thatoperation of the lower lever operates the upper lever.-

The grippers I00 and iii! are mounted for movement transversely of thecigars at the forward end of the row on the plate 81! in slots 26 insaid plate being mounted for this purpose on a carriage H2 attached to aslide rod H3 given reciprocating movement by a shackle I4 secured to therod H3 and carrying a pin H5 in a slot I i6 of the oscillating cam leverl l! driven by the cam H8 on shaft I6. 1

The grippers I00 and iii! are so operated as to close on thefirst fivecigars in the row of cigars r as shown in Fig. 3 and by reason of thereciprocating movement just referred to they carry the five cigarsawayfrom the forward end of the row at a rate of travel greater than thenormal feeding movement of the row so as not tointerfere with theaccumulation of another five cigars in position to be grouped andseparated, during the inserting of the first mentioned group in thecartdn, To produce this grouping operation, a roller H9 (Fig. 7) securedto the lever Hi9 engages in a groove 12!) (Fig. 4) in a crossbar lZlcarried by a pair of levers 122 secured through pivot shaft 44. Shaft 44constituting one of the principal cam shafts extending lengthwise of themachine 523 to cam lever I24 engaging cam I25 on shaft 1 I26 and I21.

is driven from the shaft l'6 through bevel gears Thus operation of thecam I25 causes a lifting of the lever I09 bringing together the grippersI and IOI on the foremost cigars of the row which are stopped bysuitable stops I28, presently to be described, as shown in Fig. 44.

At the forward end of their movement in the grippers I00 and I 0|, thegroup of cigars is in axial alignment with the open carton C at thestation D. At this position, it will be remembered that the grippers I00and IOI V are open. A reciprocating plunger element I30 engages the lefthand end of the group of cigars (see Figs. 19 and 20) and moves thecigars to the right into a compressing and guiding funnel I3I by whichthe cigars are guided into the carton C after being suflicientlycompressed in a horizontal direction to pass the mouth of the carton.

The inserting plunger I30 is supported by a bracket I32 on an adjustablerod I33 secured slidably in a clamp I34 in'which the rod may be securedin desired position by a thumb screw I35. The clamp I34 is secured to ablock I36 slidably mounted on rails I31 on which the block isreciprocated by means of a link I38 connected to a lever I39, this leverbeing oscillated through a shaft I40 and lever I4I which lever isconnected by a rod I42 to a cam roller I43 in a cam groove I44 of thecam I45 on the shaft 44. For the purpose of supporting the end of therod I42, a block I46 is journaled on the shaft 44 and is received in afork I41 secured to' the end of said rod I42.

The funnel I3I comprises upper and lower plates I50 and II and a pair ofhinged side plates I52 and I53 hinged on pintles I54 and I55.' The endsof the hinged plates I52 and I53 are stopped'in a position with theirends substantially in alignment with the edges of the vertical sidewalls of the carton so that the cigars are guided into the cartonwithout catching on said edges. It will be noted that the plates I52 andI53 form a tapered funnel toward the mouth of the carton.

The cigars pushed 'into the carton C by the plunger I30,which isadmitted within the funnel by means of an opening of slot I56 in the topof the funnel, are brought up against a series of stop elements I51corresponding in number and spacing to the cigar ends which yield to thepressure of the cigars provided they are of normal length and firmness(Figs. 22 and 46). Each of the stops I51 which are yieldably mounted asshown in Fig. 46 will open a circuit, the circuits of each stop being inseries with the others so that the circuit as a whole will be open onlywhen all of the stops I51 are pushed in, as shown in Fig.46.

The circuit will be described in more detail at a later part of thisspecification.

The stops I51 are carried to operative position within the right handend of the carton as shown in Figs; 19 and 20, by means of a box I58within which'the stopcarrying rods 300 (Fig. '46), are movably mountedin the boxythese rods being spring pressed toward cigar engagingposition (Fig. 46) by means of springs 392, the box as a whole beinggiven a to and fro movement on a lever I63 (Figs, 19 to22), on which thebox is adjustably secured for both horizontal and vertical adjustment bymeansof a stem I64 in a clamp block' I65 (Fig. 20), which block is inturn secured by stem I66 ina second clamp I61 on the lever I63. Thislever is oscillated through :a link I60 connected to a lever I69 pivotedat I and connected by a link I1I having a pinand slot connection to thelever I39. A spring I12 biases 7 the lower end of the lever I69towardthe lever I63 for the purpose of biasing the box away from the righthand end of the carton except when in operative position. The timing ofthe operation of lever I63 is such that the box I58 is moved to carrythe stops into cigar end engaging position after a carton has arrived atstation D and after the lever I39 has moved part of its operative stroketo insert the cigars in the carton. After the lever I39 has operated tonearly complete insertion of the cigars, the pin I13 strikes one end ofthe slot I14 (Fig. 22), showing a View from the opposite side from thatin Fig. 19, thus operating the box in desired timed relation to theinsertion of the cigars.

It will be seen from Figs. 50 to 55 and Fig. 23 that the carton employedis provided with a hinged flap having a tongue at one end of the cartonand a pair of bottom flaps at the other end of the carton throughwhichthe cigars have been inserted. For the purpose of maintaining thesebottom flaps CI and 02 open during the cigar inserting operation therear side of the funnel I3I adjacent the carton is provided with atapered plow portion I15 which enters between the flaps CI and C2 andspreads them apart as shown in Fig. 19 so that the flapsthemselvesa'ssist in guiding the cigars into the carton.

After the carton has been filled, it is indexed on the carton conveyorto the station E at which station the inclined folder plate I16 folds inflap C2. The carton is next indexed to station F, where glue isappliedto the inside of the flaps CI by means of a glue applying grid I11 which has a vertical movement from a position in a glue pot I18 toupper position where fingers I19 of the grid place glue spots on the'flap CI as shown in Fig. 32. This grid is given its vertical movementby means of a plunger I 00 slidable in a bracket IBI, the plunger beingsupported on a generally horizontal surface of a push lever I82,

operated through link I 83 from a bell crank lever I84 piv-oted at I85and connected through a link I86 to a crank I81 on the shaft I88. Thebell crank receives its motion for operating the push rod I80 from a.cam I89, this bell crank through the linkage just described serving tooscillate the shaft I88 for a purpose which will presently appear.folded by an inclined'fold plate I90 (Fig. 53).

At station E devices are provided for folding and inserting the toptongue carrying flap of the carton, these devices being best shown inFigs. 26 to 31; As a carton is received from the carton feed in thepocket of the carton conveyor, the tongue flap C3 is projectinghorizontally. This tongue is ordinarily pre-scored in the positionsalong which it is to'be bent during manufacture of the cartons whichfacilitates the folding and tongue inserting operations. With the tonguein the position shown in Fig. 26, a plate I9I is given a downward andinward vertical movement from the position shown in Fig. 26 to theposition'shown in Fig. 27 which breaks the hinge of the flap C3 over thecorner of the block I92 and by engagement of the tongue portion C4 withthe horizontal plate I93 also serves to bend the tongue C4 at rightangles tos'aid flap C3, as shown in Fig. 27. This tongue portion C4 isthen bent sharply upward by swinging of the plate I93 as shown in Fig.28. This plate I93 is thenwithdrawn which permits the flap C3 to springback. In case this flap does not swing sufliciently high, a lifter wireI94 is caused to engage the lower side of the fiap to lift the same intoposition for engagement of the flap The glued flap CI is then C4 by atongue inserter plate I95. This plate has a generally horizontal butslightly upward motion against the external side of the tongue C4 (Fig.30) swinging the tongue inwardly about its hinge line along the curvedsurface I96 of the bar I91 thereby guiding the tip of the tongue underthe upper wall of the carton. As shown in Fig. 31 the plate I93 appearscarried upwardly against the back of the flap C3. As it rises, its lefthand corner .(see Fig. 29) strikes the block I92 which Swings the plateto vertical position causing its heel portion IBM to push the top of theflap horizontally toward the carton to complete the insertion of thetongue C4. To prevent catching of the tongue edge against the upper wallof the carton, the guide surface 196 extends to a point a little belowor level with the inner surface of the upper wall. During this operationthe plate I95 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 31 with the curvedextension I98 passing over the upper corner of the carton and at thesame time guarding the tongue at that point. A shoulder I99 at the baseof the extension I98 bears on the hinge line of the tongue and aids ininserting the tongue.

The plate I9I for bending the flap C3 is given its vertical movement byparallel link devices (Fig. 26) consisting of a link 299 to which theblade is secured, which link is carried in vertical position bya pair ofparallel links 292 and 203 carried by pivots 284 and 291 and given toand fro movement by a lever 20 .5 connected to shaft 261 on which thelever 293 is secured. Lever 206 is connected through link 288 to a lever299 fast to the shaft 2H) which shaft carries the tongue inserting plateI95 through a lever 2H loosely mounted on shaft 2W. The plate I95 isalso supported by lever H2 on shaft ZIS. The shaft 2I3 is rocked bycrank 2I4 through a link 2I5 which link is secured to a cam lever2i5having a roller 2I'I engaging a cam 2I8 on the cam shaft 44 (Fig. 23).

The plate I95 is given its to and fro motion by means of a crank 2I9secured to the shaft 2I9 and connected to the link 229 which is operatedthrough cam lever 22I by cam 222 mounted on the shaft 44. The flaplifting wire I94 derives its motion from the shaft 29'! to which it isadjustably secured.

The tongue folding plate I93 is pivotally mounted (Fig. 28) at 223 onthe arm.224 on which arm it is normally pulled with its heel part I93a(Fig. 29) down against the lever 224 by a spring 225 acting on a lever229 attached to said plate. This .arm224 is given a vertical to and fromovement which causes the forward end of the plate I93 to strike theblock I92 thereby swinging the plate as already described and shown inFig. 28. After moving to the position shown in Fig. 28, and partiallyfolding in the tongue, the arm 224 is again lowered to the positionshown in Fig. 30 and is again lifted vertically to the position shown inFig. 31 in which the block I92 has swung the plate to vertical positionso that the heel portion in its swinging movement has pushed the tongueinto the package and has swung the flap C3 to closed position. The arm224 is given the movements just described by means of a lever 22! (Fig.26) of which the arm is a part, which lever is rocked by means of a link228 connected to a cam lever 229 (Fig. 23) having an extension carryinga cam roller 239 engaging the cam 23I. This lever is held with theroller in contact with the camby means of a spring 292.

At station F, the revenue stamp and an advertising .or other identifyinglabel is applied to the closed tongue end of the carton, by any suitablestamping means, such for instance as that illustrated somewhatdiagrammatically in Fig. 32. This stamping means may be of the typeillustrated in United States patent to P. M. Nejedly, No. 1,682,406,dated August 28, 1928, for a Package stamper.

In this type of Stamper, stamp pickers 249 withdraw a stamp L from thestamp magazine 241 into operative engagement with a stamp carrier wheel242 on shaft 239, which by stamp grippingmeans such as shown in theNejedly patent, carries the stamp into contact with a paste wheel 243and then into a position overlying the carton C where stamp applierfingers 244 push the moistened stamp into contact with the carton, thestamp being so applied that the end of the stamp proiects over the endof the carton as shown in -Fig. 33. The fingers 244 are suitablyoperated in timed relation to the movement of the carrier wheel 242 bymeans of a lever 245 carrying said fingers, which lever is pivoted on apin 246 and is spring pressed by a spring 241 into engagement with apushlever 248 which is given vertical rocking movement by a link 249connected to a lever 259 on shaft 25I which shaft is rocked by a camlever 252 engaging cam 253 on shaft 254. This shaft is driven by a chain255 passing over idlers 255 and 251 and a sprocket 258 on the cam shaft.44.

After passing through an idle station G, the closed and partiallystamped carton arrives at a deliverystation H which station is at aposition on the conveyor chain I8 in which the carton is turned ninetydegrees around the sprocket 22 and is therefore in vertical position. Itwill be remembered that the collapsed cartons were forced into openposition in pockets of the conveyor in which pockets the cartons have aclose enough fit to stick while at the same time the vertical walls ofthe pocket hold the carton in open position. At the station H the cartonis held in the position shown in the right hand of Fig. 3 by thefriction of the pocket walls on the carton. A swinging ejector arm 260(Fig. 36) is provided which has a pair of carton engaging lugs. 25!whicharelocated'behind either end of .the carton at the time the cartonis indexed to station H. The arm 258 is then given a ninety degreeclockwise movement .as shown in Fig. 36 from dotted line tofull lineposition which sweeps the carton along the curved portion 262 into thestraight portion .293 of thechute'264. As the carton is swept along thecurved chute portion 2'62,it is engaged by the brush 265 which lays thestamp over the end flap C4, thus completing the stamping operation. Thecartons accumulate in a solid -row;in the magazine 264 which by reasonof its position at right angles to the remainder of the machine does notmaterially increase the floor space required by the machine.

For the purpose of preventing'waste of a revenue stamp or loss of alabel when there is no carton in position to be stamped or labeled,means are provided for stopping the stamp wheel when no carton is inposition to be fed to the stamper. This means includes a trigger .261(Fig. 38) in the path of the end of a carton in the conveyor pocket andthis trigger which 'is pivoted at 268 is connected by a link 269 to alever 210 having a pin 2' which pin is only moved into position toengage a pawl 212 when there is no carton in position to engage thetrigbar being supported by a bracket 283.

ger. Engagement of the pin 21I with the pawl 212 swings a key 213 (Fig.43) secured to the pawl out of keying position into a position whichfrees a sleeve portion 214 (Fig. 41) of a sprocket 215 from a drivingsleeve 216 secured to the stamp wheel drive shaft 239. The sprocket 215is driven constantly by a chain 211. For the purpose of bringing thestamp wheel to a quick stop when the stamp wheel is released from thedrive, a brake band 218 engaging the sleeve 216 is provided which isunder braking tension produced by the spring 219 which is coiled upon apin 280 secured to the brake band and put under adjusted tension by athumb screw 28I on said pin bearing against said spring. This brake band218 constitutes one form of clutch available for controlling theoperation of the machine and will be hereinafter designated by the termclutch where that generic designation is appropriate. The other end ofthe brake band is supported by a bar 282 through which the pin 280passes, this Chain 211 is driven through sprockets 284, shaft 205,sprocket 286 and chain 281 which in turn is driven from sprocket 2'88,shaft 289, sprocket 290 and chain 255.

The present machine is provided with means for preventing cartoning ofdefective or short count groups of cigars by stopping the machine,

as mentioned above, and these means will now be described. The stop orfeeler members I51 are movably mounted in the fibre-lined box I 58, Fig.46, on levers 300, which are pivoted at the top of the box on a pivotrod 30I. These levers are spring pressed towards the cigar ends bysprings 302 and on their levers, which are of electrically conductingmaterial, are contacts 303 positioned to engage a corresponding seriesof contacts 304 on contact bar 305. Wire 306 connected to bar 305, andwire 301, connected to pivot rod. 30I, form a circuit which, through arotary timing switch and a relay, controls the power circuit, theoperation of which will presently be described.

Provision is also made to insure against the transfer of cigars from thedelivery line until the line is full. The operation of this device is asfollows.

A circuit breaker, 308, Figs. 44 and 45, is mounted on the deliverytable 90 in position to be actuated by a lever 309 on transfer arm IIO(Fig. 45.) Lever 309 has a blade 3| 0 reaching down below the top of thecigars and, unless the line of cigars is full up to stop I28 on transferarm I03, lever 309, which is held in an inoperative position by spring3| I, will not affect circuit through a rotary timing switch and arelay, controls the clutch circuit, the operation of which 7 willpresently be described.

The electric wiring diagram is shown in Fig. 49. The motor power circuitis controlled by the fibre lined box I58 which acts as a circuitbreaker, as previously described, in a circuit passing through rotarytiming switch 3H, mounted on shaft 44 which makesone revolution percycle of the machine, and is set so as to close the circuit at themoment the cigars normally bear on all the feelers I51 in the circuitbreaker. The details of switches 3H and 3I2 are shown in Fig. 47.

If the proper number of cigars have been inserted, the circuit is brokenand the normally closed relay 320 is not energized, thus leaving themotor circuit 3| 9 closed. If one or more cigars less than the requirednumber have been inserted into the carton, the circuit breaker remainsclosed and, as timing switch 3 makes contact, relay 320 is energized andmotor circuit 3I9 opened.

The motor is thus stopped and the machine "shut down.

This will occur also if the carton contains a cigar defective in length,or having an end so soft that it yields to the bias of the correspondingspring 302 which influences the rod 300 and. stop I51, so that thecircuit of relay 320 is closed.

The clutch control circuit is operated from circuit breaker 308,previously described, in a circuit passing through a rotary timingswitch 3I2 and a relay 3I3. These parts are connected in series andfunction as follows.

While circuit breaker 308 remains closed the normally open relay 3I3becomes energized, as.

switch 3I2 makes contact, thus closing the clutch operating circuit,energizing solenoid 3, which throws clutch operator lever 3 I 5 intoengagement, causing the machine to stop. The switch 3I2, which ismounted on shaft 44 remains in closed circuit position until the cigars,on delivery table 90, push on blade 3I0 and lever 309 breaks contact308, thus opening the circuit and de-energizing relay 3I3, causing abreak in the clutch operating circuit. The clutch operating circuithaving been broken, solenoid 3 becomes de-energized, permitting clutchoperator lever 3I5 to be brought into clutch released position by spring3I8, thus again starting the machine.

Switches 3I1 and 3I8 are introduced into the circuits for the purpose ofplacing the respective circuits under the manual control of the operatorof the machine.

It will be noted that due to the arrangement of the delivery chute 264transversely of the con veyor I8 the cartons, through the swingingmovement of the arm 260, are stacked crosswise of the length of themachine resulting in a considerable saving of floor space. This swingingmovement of the arm 260 is produced (see Figs. 35, 36 and 37) by a shaft325 carrying said arm and oscillated through gears 326 and 321 from theoscillating shaft I88.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a machine has been providedwhich is capable of coaction with banding and/or wrapping mechanisms forcigars and other articles of that type to complete, without beingtouched by hand, all the wrapping and/or banding and cartoningoperations necessary to the producing of a marketable package or cartonof such articles. In this connection it is noted that the use of thebottom flaps and a cigar guiding funnel as already described preventsany catching of bands outside the wrapper when such are used, at themouth of the carton.

Since the operation of the several parts of this machine has beendescribed in detail in connection with the description of its parts,further description of its operation will be dispensed with in theinterest of brevity.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with mechanism for forwarding simultaneously a groupof finished cigars to a transfer point, and therefrom as a group to apredetermined station, of sensing devices constructed and arranged tooperate as a group at said station upon said group of cigars, to detecta discrepancy in the predetermined quantity of finished cigars in saidgroup being forwarded, and individual sensing devices constructed andarranged to operate at said station upon the several cigars in saidgroup, to detect local abnormalities in the quality of each cigar in thegroup, prior to further operation upon said group.

2. The combination with mechanism for forwarding simultaneously a groupof finished cigars, of individual sensing means operable against a tipof each cigar, as it is forwarded, to detect a disconformity in lengthand/ or in density thereof, and means, responsive to said detection, tocomplement the action of said sensing means.

3. A cigar-forwarding and sensing mechanism, having the features claimedin claim 2, in which another sensing device is provided, complemental tosaid axially acting detector, and adapted to detect, and afiord anindication of a material discrepancy in the desired diameter of a cigar,at a selected stage in the fabrication thereof.

4. In a machine of the class described: the combination with mechanismfor forwarding finished cigars; of means to incapacitate said forwardingmechanism at times; and sensing means adapted to control the operationof said incapacitating means, said sensing means being operableselectively upon, and by virtue of, the occurrence of,

a disconformity in the predetermined quantity and quality of any givenquantum of the finished cigars being forwarded.

5. In a machine of the class described: the combination with mechanismfor forwarding finished cigars; of means to incapacitate said forwardingmechanism at times; and sensing means adapted to control the operationof said incapacitating means, said sensing means being operableselectively upon, and by virtue of, the occurrence of a disconformity inthe predetermined quantity and quality of any given quantum of thefinished cigars being forwarded; said sensing means being adapted todetect a quantitative disconformity in terms of a deficiency as topredetermined cigar diameter, and adapted to detect a qualitativedisconformity in terms of required length, and also of required densityof the cigar bunch.

FRANK R. SCI-IMI'IT.

